The invention relates to an extruder screw comprising an extruder shaft and at least one extruder segment. The extruder shaft comprises a prismatic mandrel having external teeth and a longitudinal mandrel axis. The extruder segment has internal teeth and a longitudinal internal-teeth axis and can be slid onto the mandrel, such that the extruder segment can be connected to the mandrel for rotation therewith. The internal teeth have a profile having a meshing profile and, in an inner area between the first and second end faces of the extruder segment, comprise a prismatic main profile that has a main cross-section.
According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an extruder, in particular a double screw extruder, with an extruder screw according to the invention disposed within a barrel as is conventional in the extruder art.
According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing an extruder screw or an extruder according to the invention.
Extruders generally have a mandrel with external teeth, on which extruder segments are arranged for rotation therewith. This makes it possible to replace or change the extruder segments, in so far as this is necessary. The desire exists to operate extruders with as high a torque as possible, so that high throughput rates are able to be achieved. However, limits are set on the increase of the torque, because the destruction of the extruder segment occurs above a critical torque.